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Chin Chin's New Look is a Winner

2018-04-23 Puja ShanghaiWOWeng

Moving to the corner of Fumin Lu and Changle Lu is a bold move for any new eatery looking to settle themselves in the midst of other successful restaurants, bars, and clubs. This area is laowai central so all eyes are on the newbie. Chin Chin By WHEAT first started life as simply 'WHEAT,' a health food restaurant looking to help kick-start healthy eating. However, Fumin Lu is not the best address for a healthy eatery, so they revamped, they upped their alcohol content and rebranded. We got to go and take a look.

 


The Atmosphere in Chin Chin is pretty chill, if a little dark. We were entranced by trendy (but dim) light fixtures and a tropical ambiance. Their bartender showed off his skills as he steered us away from the traditional menu and instead asked us for our favorite alcohol base and taste palate. He then whipped us a couple of pretty dank cocktails.

 


Besides their talented bartender and chic atmosphere, the staff directed our attention to several screens placed carefully in full view of the dining area. This is seriously cool, acknowledging the importance of their location, Chin Chin chose to emphasize their drink menu and they have done it with a really cool twist, introducing the Beer Stock Exchange (BSE)!  Prices of the beers they sell change depending on how many people are buying different drinks, this means you’ll end up paying different prices for different beers, it’s really fun, plus a great excuse to get “schwasty” whilst trying to find the right deal. When the bar is super busy the market ‘crashes’ and then all drinks are at an all-time low. It’s worth checking out.

 


The BSE has found success in bars and restaurants in the US and in parts of Europe, so this is a surefire way to gain momentum with foreign and local customers.

 

By this time, we were tipsy and READY TO EAT.

 

The menu was designed to emulate affordable prices with plates to share, while experimenting with Mexican and French influences.

 

Editors note: they have halal options available, which is a cool, but also a very essential feature.

 


We started off with the avocado mousse with smoked salmon ‘shots’ (RMB 88). Personally, we’re big fans of anything involving avocado. But after I managed to quell my salivation, we began to ask, “How exactly do you eat the shot?” The staff brought out teaspoons but that still didn’t help us reach the bottom. Eventually, we ditched the silverware and stuck our fingers straight in the shot glass. Basically, not a good dish for a first date, unless you’re looking to find someone who won’t judge your nasty habits even before they get to know you. The dish was aesthetically pleasing, but the setup did not seem too logical or functional. Moreover, the salmon was fresh and the avocado mousse was zingy and delicious.

 


Oh lord, it was so hard to sit patiently and watch our photographer snap away pictures with this dish. The Baha fish tacos (RMB 88) were delicious! The fish was light and perfectly battered with heaps of fresh tomatoes and leaves. We would have liked to see a tad more fish, because we’re greedy and we like fish. This would be a perfect dish to share, but you probably wouldn’t want to after getting a taste of the garlic aioli sauce.

 

Ceviche tasting platter (Coconut Thai inspired ceviche, Mojito sea bass ceviche, and Mexican shrimp ceviche)

 

The ceviche tasting platter (RMB 228) was to die for, and would be perfect to share in a big group. Though you can order them individually, the tasting platter comes in three flavors: Mexican shrimp, Coconut Thai and Mojito seabass. These were great renditions of the classic dishes, but our favorite, hands down, was the coconut Thai-inspired ceviche. Definitely took the cake. If you only try one I would recommend this one as a single serving, which will set you back a reasonable RMB 88.

 


The Black Parma & Balsamic Vinaigrette Pizza (RMB 98) was a slice (or eight) of heaven. The dish was made of a black tortilla base and paired with balsamic vinegar which really added the extra oomph needed for such a classic and simple pizza. Topped with arugula, parma ham, and mozzarella, it was absolutely delicious. Like many pizzas, it’s great for sharing and still on our minds to this day.



Our final dish of the night was the Australian strip-loin on a Himalayan salt block (RMB 198). This dish is one of the more expensive items on the menu alongside the ceviche platter. The meat was cooked medium rare and for someone who is quite picky with my meat, I was in awe at the tenderness. The strip-loin is cooked on the Himalayan salt platter which ultimately allowed for a subtle yet rich salty aftertaste. Definitely recommend for a party of two.

 


If you’re looking for something to sip on while you wait in between dishes, we strongly recommend the Pineapple Vanilla Mojito. It’s basically Jungle Juice for adults. Four of these and you’ll be asking “WTF Kris, why am I on the floor?”

 


We also got to try the margarita flight which included a mini strawberry, campari, and nespresso margarita, these were really fun but rather deadly! Drink with caution.

 

Our final verdict: we think the new design of Chin Chin is a great step forward, especially when competing against mainstays like Al’s Diner, Chicken and Egg, and Funkadeli. If you’re looking for a light meal to share, meet up with friends and try to make a beer market crash for great prices, or generally (healthy) yummy food and drinks, this is a definite place to check out. They need to work on their timing as there were often hefty delays between the arrivals of each dish. But the food was good, well-priced and overall worth the wait.


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